Miami Dolphins: New Coach + Winning Attitude= WINS!

My coach can beat

up your coach!

When the 2015 football season started, Miami Dolphins fans had extremely high hopes. Many sportswriters were picking them to go deep in the playoffs after off season acquisitions of skill players like Cameron Jordan, Greg Jennings, and Ndamukong Suh. With all the talent already on the team, with players like Jarvis Landry, and Ryan Tannehill ready to make the step from good players into gamebreakers, the stage seemed to be set for a dream season that Phins fans had been waiting for years to witness. 

Then, reality set in after an extremely lackluster showing in a win over the Washington Redskins. Fans were disappointed, but gave them a pass, assuming that the team just started slow, and they would come in and dominate the Jacksonville Jaguars the following week. That didn't happen. The Dolphins lost to Jacksonville. Then, for the home opener, they lost badly to the Buffalo Bills, and lost again in an even more abysmal performance against the New York Jets. The Miami Dolphins were 1-3, and would have been 0-4 had it not been for a lucky punt return against the Redskins courtesy of Jarvis Landry. To make matters worse, they were 0-2 in the AFC East, and the fans were demanding answers. And action.

Head Coach, Joe Philbin entered the season on the hot seat. This was a do or die season for him, and he certainly wasn't doing it. Neither was defensive coordinator, Kevin Coyle. Both were fired following the debacle against the Jets, and rightfully so. There was NO excuse for the pathetic look that the team was showing with all the talent on the roster.

So, Tight End Coach, Dan Campbell was named interim head coach. He immediately started talking about a change in attitude. High intensity practices with competition. He was saying all the right things, and Dolphins fans were cautiously optimistic once again. 

The Dolphins had a much needed bye week after the Jets loss, and the next opponent up was the Tennessee Titans. Everyone knew that the Titans were not a good team, and if Miami played a decent game, they should win. And, if the Dolphins players bought into Campbell's ideas, this should be a lopsided blowout win for the Dolphins. It was. 38-10. The Titans never knew what hit them. Cameron Wake had 4 sacks, and Dan Campbell got a Gatorade bath at the end of the game. The team looked energized, and were definitely playing with passion. 

The following week, the Houston Texans came to town. Another sub 500 team, but this was a team had a history with Miami. The Miami Dolphins had NEVER beaten the Texans. But, another dominant performance ensued. Going into halftime, the score was 41-0, a franchise record. Jarvis Landry and Lamar Miller both had two long touchdowns. Reshad Jones had a second pick six in 2 weeks. Ndamukong Suh came alive with 2 sacks, and Cameron Wake got 2 more. Ryan Tannehill set an NFL record for most consecutive completed passes, with 25. Not to mention finishing with a perfect passer rating. During the second half, Campbell rested starters due to the upcoming Thursday night game against the Patriots, and the Texans put 26 points on the board. The final score was 44-26.

So, under Coach Campbell, the Miami Dolphins are 2-0 and are back in the post season hunt with a record of 3-3. They are re-energized, and playing with passion. In 2 games, they have scored 82 points. In the first 4 games, they only scored 65 points. Let that sink in a bit. Under Philbin, they looked lazy and clueless. Under Campbell, they are focused, intense, fast, accurate, and powerful.

So, here we are. The Dolphins are the most improved team in the NFL, and while they have everyone's attention, they still have a long way to go. But, its one step at a time. Sure, the Titans and Texans aren't powerhouse teams, the Dolphins beat them the way any elite team would have. In fact, none of the elite teams have put up 41 points in a half this year. The next step comes this Thursday when they go to Foxboro to play the Patriots. You could say that is a first real test, but in my opinion, every game from here on out is a test. Sure, they might lose Thursday, but they might win too. Miami has won 2 of the last 3 games vs the Patriots, and the 2 teams usually split. So as much as I would love to see a win Thursday, I'm not going to get my heart broken if they don't win. Personally, I think they will win. They are firing on all cylinders and playing they way they were supposed to be playing. If Campbell had been the coach from week one, the Dolphins would be 6-0 right now. Also, if Philbin had been the coach, Miami likely would have lost the last 2 games. That's all the difference. The players are buying into what Campbell is preaching, and it shows. They trust him, and are willing to do whatever is needed because they believe in him. Campbell believes in the players too. 

Its a special time to be a Miami Dolphins fan. While Dan Campbell is the interim head coach, he has the rest of the season to use as an audition to be the actual head coach. The fans love him too, and it was evident at the Texans game which Campbell dubbed 'The real home opener.' As backup QB Matt Moore ran the Victory Formation, the fans were voicing their opinion of the coach. Deafening chants "CAMPBELL! CAMPBELL! CAMPBELL!" filled the stadium, and you could definitely tell that he has won the hearts of not only the players, but the fans too. Great things are coming for this team, and I am looking forward to a long and successful tenure of Dan Campbell as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. 

Welcome to the team, Coach!

PS: My coach can not only beat up your coach, he can probably beat up some of your LINEBACKERS!

PPS: Yeah, I know. I spoke too soon. Welcome to a day in the life of a Dolphins fan. #$%^&*%$!!!

FIRE EVERYBODY!!! State of the Dolphins and Their Fans

Fire everyone! Time to move on! The quarterback sucks! Fire Wallace! Fire Tannehill! Fire Jeff Ireland! Sell the team to Chuck Norris! Fire Coach Philbin! Fire Mike Sherman! Get rid of Wake and Wallace for some cap room! The logo sucks!

(I'm not going to bring up the logo again. This post is not about the logo. I only added that comment about the logo to show that some fans still can't get over it. Want to gripe about the logo? Read this post, and gripe there.)

All of those were comments I've seen on the Miami Dolphins Facebook page. I have never seen such a group of uninformed wannabe team owners in my life. Let's revisit some Dolphins history shall we?

Since the last time they were in the AFC Championship, the Jacksonville Jaguars and Carolina Panthers have both become teams, and both have been to the conference championships TWICE. Carolina has even been to a Super Bowl, and currently, they are the number 2 seed in the NFC. The Houston Texans have become a team, and have been to the AFC Championship.

Also since the last time the Dolphins were in the AFC Championship, The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and New Orleans Saints (2 long time bottom feeder teams) have both won Super Bowls. The San Francisco 49ers have won a Super Bowl, lost the players on that team, went through a stagnant phase, rebuilt, and have been to another Super Bowl, and are looking to go again. The Seattle Seahawks (another long time bottom feeder) have been to a Super Bowl, and are a favorite to be in the next one, and are well on their way, being the current #1 seed in the NFC.. The Rams were in 2 Super Bowls. Won one, lost one. Not to mention the Patriots becoming the latest dynasty. The Baltimore Ravens, formerly the Cleveland Browns go from decades of being horrible to winning 2 Super Bowl championships. Even the Arizona Freaking Cardinals made it to a Super Bowl, and almost won it!

Believe it or not, there are fans of other teams who have had it worse. MUCH worse than Dolphins fans.

By the way, the last time the Dolphins were in the AFC Championship was 1993.

Yep. Yous guys did SO well once
ya got ridda me.

Don Shula retired in in 1996. Since then, Miami has had Jimmy Johnson, Dave Wannstedt, Nick (Prick)
Saban, Cam Cameron, Tony Sparano, and now Joe Philbin. Plus, 2 interim coaches who stepped in when Dave Wannstedt and Tony Sparano ran for the hills. For those of you scoring at home, that's 6 coaches (8 if you count the interim coaches) in 17 years. That's horrible.

So, I have a question. What has the revolving door of coaches gotten the Dolphins since 1996? SEVEN LOSING SEASONS SINCE 2002. Dave Wannstedt had only ONE losing season in 5 years. 11-5 twice and 10-6 once, and fans (including me) were demanding his head. Looking back, I wonder why we were giving him so much grief when the last time the Dolphins were in the Super Bowl was 1984! I would much rather see those numbers than the pathetic seasons Miami has had since Wanny was run out of town.

A QB with the last name 'Lemon'
probably wasn't a good idea.

And let's look at quarterbacks shall we? Since Dan Marino retired in 1999, SEVENTEEN quarterbacks have started for the Dolphins. Damon Huard, Jay Fiedler, Ray Lucas, Brian Griese, AJ Feeley, Sage Rosenfels, Gus Frerotte, Daunte Culpepper, Joey Harrington, Cleo Lemon, Trent Green, John Beck, Chad Pennington, Chad Henne, Tyler Thigpen, Matt Moore, and Ryan Tannehill.

So, are we noticing a pattern here? Basically, inconsistency=LOSING! So, to all the fans who are suggesting yet another turnover, let me just ask one question...What do you think that will accomplish? It will accomplish NOTHING, other than putting the Dolphins back in loserville for another 5 years. And what happens if the Dolphins hire Bill Cowher, or one of the other retread retired legends of years past, and they can't do it either? Jimmy Johnson ring a bell? I'll tell you what will happen. Lets say the

You fans DID demand this guy, and
you all know it.

7-8-1 in his first year,
7-9 in his second year???
OFF WITH HIS HEAD!!!

Dolphins hire Cowher, and he goes 6-10 in his first season. Some of the fans will be demanding his head right then. Others will wait until they go 7-9 the following season, then most will be on the 'Fire Bill Cowher' bandwagon. And 90% of the people calling for his head will be the people clamoring for Cowher in the first place. How do I know? Because that is EXACTLY what is happening now with Philbin. Lots of you were clamoring for Jeff Fisher. Well, in his first season with the Rams, he went 7-8-1, and 7-9 in his second. Should the Rams fire him? If not, then why not? Why does he get a pass but Philbin doesn't? Philbin at least has a winning season under his belt.  And, these same people are the first to throw owner Stephen Ross under the bus. Don't you remember how everyone was demanding Wayne Huizenga hire an offensive minded head coach? He went out and got the one who was considered the best available. Cam Cameron. Sure, he was a dud, but those same fans who were demanding Cameron were ready to crucify Huizenga for hiring him after they went 1-15. Should Cameron have been fired? Absolutely, but you can't blast Huizenga for hiring him when you were demanding that he be hired in the first place. You can't have it both ways, people.

Damn dude, your offensive line REALLY sucks!
They didn't even TRY to block me!

Now, the Dolphins do have problems that need to be addressed, and I'm going to get into those right now.
Coach Philbin, sit down. You aren't going anywhere. That's right. Philbin is the best coach we have had in a long time. In fact all of the coaches need to stay except offensive coordinator, Mike Sherman, and offensive line coach, Jim Turner. The offensive plays this year were reminiscent of the conservative and predictable play calling by Tony Sparano. And the offensive line? Ryan Tannehill was sacked almost 60 times this year. So, bring in another offensive coordinator, and another offensive line coach.

The other problems Miami has are the deep ball, and running game. Both in my opinion would be corrected if Tannehill had faith in his offensive line. He and Mike Wallace did find some chemistry later in the season. The running game showed signs of life too. But, did you notice something? The offensive tightened up in the later part of the season. Not enough for Sherman and Turner to keep their jobs, but enough to show that the talent is there.

The main whipping boy for these fans is GM, Jeff Ireland. He is another person who is being unfairly thrown under the bus. Honestly, did ANY of you think that all those free agents he brought in would click and gel

overnight? I remember alot of you saying that you didn't have the highest of expectations for this season, but the expectations were for the 2014 season. So, what changed? Nothing changed. Only the direction that the wind was blowing in your heads. So why not give Ireland the time you so graciously allowed him during the 2013 offseason? If next season doesn't end with a playoff berth, then it will be time for Ireland to pack his bags.

The bottom line here is that the Dolphins have the best team they have had in a very long time. Ryan Tannehill is going to be a top NFL QB for a long time. Brian Hartline and Mike Wallace are going to be the best WR tandem since Duper and Clayton. Want to free up some cap space? Don't resign Dustin Keller at tight end. We don't need him. Charles Clay has emerged to be the best tight end the Phins have had in a very long time. The defense is set, although they could use some depth in the secondary.

No, ref..YOU are wrong. 8 of 9 on challenges confirms that I
am RIGHT. (Not part of the post, but I had to add it because
I am sure the refs hate Philbin because of that record.)

It isn't all gloom and doom, fellow Dolfans. The problems Miami has are so manageable it isn't even funny. New offensive coordinator, new offensive line coach, some new offensive linemen, and MAYBE a runningback. We are the closest we've been to a championship in a very VERY long time, and we will get there, but hitting the reset button yet again is NOT the way to do it. Like I said...The deep ball and the running game would fix themselves with a better offensive line. Other than that, the only other problem I see is finishing games. They need to not be afraid to run the score up on an opponent. They need to put their opponent away, and not let up on them. How many blown leads did Miami have this year? Do you see Peyton Manning and the Broncos easing up once they are up 10 points? No. And the reason why is because you don't win games that way. You need to put your foot on your opponent's throat, and keep it there until the clock reads all zeros.

Have faith, Dolfan Faithful. We are almost there! We are closer than we were in 2002-2003 when only a crappy backup QB ruined it for us. Keep your chin up, and we will get there. Once we do, there will be a dynasty in South Florida!

Here's some food for thought...Wouldn't you like to see an all Florida Super Bowl between the Bucs and Dolphins? It could happen.

One last thing before I end this...At least we aren't Jaguars fans. 

And Russell Wilson thanks you from the bottom of his heart.

Why Do I Love Football?

The Face of Boe is a Dolphins fan?

I was going to use this post as an entry into the NFL's contest to win tickets to the Super Bowl, but changed my mind after reading the contest rules. They state that I do not have permission to use my own writing for any purpose other than submitting it to the NFL. I intended to post it here, as well as submitting it to them. But, I don't want to get disqualified or sued for using my own intellectual property.

That would make me NOT love football anymore. Its sad too because this will be a great post. Its their loss though...I'd rather use this post to make my blog better than to have a one in a gazillion shot at Super Bowl tickets.

So, why do I love football? There are many reasons, but the most important reason is that I am a part of a huge family of like minded fans. Football transcends every man made barrier and prejudice.  For example, I am a metalhead, and many times, I have hung out with people who enjoy rap, country, or even Justin Beiber. I generally wouldn't be hanging out at a bar with these people or at a large event with them for the simple fact that the bars they go to would be playing music that I can't stand. But, I can go watch a game at a sports bar or in person with these same people, and have a great time. Regardless of who the other people are a fan of. Football brings people together like nothing else can.

35 years of waiting till next year

Another reason I love football is because unlike relationships with friends or girlfriends, etc, I can put 100% of my emotion into my team, and I know what the outcome will be. My team will either win, or lose. I'm going to be happy or bummed. In relationships, you never know what will happen. I've been a fan of the Miami Dolphins fan for 35 years. That's 29 years longer than my longest relationship with a woman, (my wife) and about 10 years longer than my relationship with my best friend...However, the 2 of us have lost contact for several years a couple times, so does that really count? And even though the Phins have disappointed, I stick with them. I stuck with them in 2007 when they went 1-15. I still wore my jersey with pride at sports bars, and other fans gave me major props for being the only person at the bar wearing Dolphins gear. Even though the last time they won a Super Bowl was the year I was born, I am still a fan. I know that once they do win another one, I will probably be sobbing like a baby. So, what other relationship can you give that much of yourself, and know exactly what you will be getting in return?

Another reason is because the game is more exciting than any other sport. Each play has 100 different possibilities and scenarios that could happen. Its like a chess match. Unlike baseball, where a player is either going to hit the ball or miss. Or basketball, soccer, and hockey where the rules are very similar. Just go up and down the court, and score. Nothing against the other sports at all. All I am saying is that football has much more strategy than the others.

In football, each move is carefully thought out by both teams, and the play is either successful, or it is stopped by the defense. To completely understand football is a feat that will never be accomplished by anyone, which is why the game will continue to get better and better as the years go by.

Bob Griese, Ryan Tannehill, Dan Marino.
3 generations of Dolphins Quarterbacks

Another reason I love football is that it transcends generations. The older players are still very much involved with the teams. They love their team for the most part, and will do anything for them, even if they have been retired for many years. And, the fans still remember and love the old players. Younger fans love hearing stories of great plays by the players of the past. I have told many stories of great shoot outs and comebacks byDan Marino or Joe Montana, John Elway, or punishing hits by Zach Thomas, Jason Taylor, Ronnie Lott and the late, great Derrick Thomas, the phenomenal running of Barry Sanders, and the 'sweetness' of Walter Payton. Great wide receivers like Jerry Rice and Chris Carter. The list goes on and on. The young fans I tell them to listen to me as they would their father telling them about 'back in the day.'

Still waiting for the next Barry

Yet another reason I love football is the camaraderie between players. Even the players in the most heated rivalries have a deep respect for each other. Players coming to each other's aid when they are down. If a player is badly hurt, the players from both teams will huddle up together to pray for their injured teammate/opponent. A very recent example of professional camaraderie happened today. We all know the story of Minnesota Vikings runningback, Adrian Peterson's son being tragically killed. The first game the Vikings played after this atrocity was vs the Carolina Panthers. Panthers QB, Cam Newton took a moment to console Peterson.

Cam Newton: Class act.

I could go on and on, but the last main reason I can think of about why I love football is the TAILGATE, and seeing a game live! There is no other experience like tailgating before going into a game. I have done it both in Miami, and in several other cities where I saw the Dolphins play the home team. There is also a camaraderie there with fans. Like I mentioned before, they are all there for the same reason. The tailgate in my opinion is more fun than a backyard cookout by a long shot. The smell of great food fills the air. Cheers of fans all over the place. Ice cold beer. Its a backyard cookout with 50,000 of your best friends and neighbors. Nothing beats it.

Why do I love football? Simply put, it is my passion. My blood craves it.

So, do you think I should send this to the NFL contest, and take my chances on being disqualified? Let me know. And....

Dolphins new logo and uniforms? Myths BUSTED!

 

 

The Miami Dolphins have drastically changed their logo and uniforms. For the past couple months, the so called 'fans' have been making it impossible to read Dolphins related stories by posting over and over things like 'THE NEW LOGO SUCKS!!!" Pretty much ANY story that was released was trolled by their own fans. A new free agent added? "THE NEW LOGO SUCKS!!!" A profile of a potential draft pick? "THE NEW LOGO SUCKS!!!" Stadium news? "THE NEW LOGO SUCKS!!!"

I am going to address the comments that I have seen on all these stories in this blog.

Comment number 1: The logo looks like the Sea World logo. Lets






compare, shall we?

Comment number 2: Dolphins don't look like that out of the water! This dolphin is swimming! The old logo shows how a dolphin looks when it jumps out of the water!!

Hey..Our fins aren't limp in the
wild, SEA WORLD!

Comment number 3: The old logo shows a tough looking dolphin. The new one looks like a killer whale! 

Comment number 4: This new dolphin looks wimpy. 

You do know that dolphins can kill sharks right? Can a seahawk or a buffalo kill a shark? 

Comment number 5: I hate that new color. It looks too pretty. 

The Dolphins went plain. Plain is good. Plain is better than flashy! Plain is better than the paint splattered Jacksonville Jaguars uniforms.

Comment number 6: Dolphins GM, Jeff Ireland is horrible, and needs to be fired! We could do ALOT worse. Seriously. Jerry Jones anybody? 

 

Let's recap what he's done this year...Forget about previous years where he had Sparano and Parcells influencing him, let's look at THIS off season! He brings in coach Joe Philbin, and grabs a quarterback to build on. Then, he brings in 2 great wide receivers, a tight end, not to mention several great defensive players. He also stockpiles draft picks. The fans criticize praise this, yet torch the man when he trades up to get one of the best defensive players in the draft, Deion Jordan. 

  

Do you realize how deadly our D-line is going to be with Jordan lining up opposite Cameron Wake? I heard one guy say that they brought in Jordan with

Tom Brady in mind.

Miami has lots of draft picks this year. You make trades to get the players you want. Its not like he blew the entire draft to get one player. Give him a chance, people! At least give him a chance to fail with this lineup!



Remember this guy? Lots
of draft analysts were comparing
Jordan to him. 

So, my fellow Dolphins fans, why not have faith. The Dolphins have tried everything else. The only thing they have not tried is building a team from scratch. They started the process last year by bringing in Ryan Tannehill, and Johnathan Martin. Believe it or not, getting rid of Brandon Marshall was a good thing. The guy is one screw up away from being suspended for an entire year. Last year, the Phins weren't supposed to win 3 games. They won 7, and Tannehill was very solid with no real threats to throw to. Now, they do. Wallace, Gibson, and Keller. The running game was lacking last year. Why? No passing threat. Just wait until this new offensive lineup takes the field. There is a changing of the guard coming in the AFC East. Have faith, and stop bitching about it. If this lineup flops, I'll be the first person to show Ireland the door. However, I think Jeff Ireland is going to be around for a long time.

So, suck it up, Dolfans! And keep your hatred of the uniforms off the stories unless the story itself is about the logo and uniforms. You don't like them. We get it! But alot of Dolfans do like them, and would like to read the damn story! When Denver and New England's uniforms and logos changed, they were hated. We just didn't have Facebook and Twitter at the time. Remember when they changed the Camaro in the early 90's? Alot of people hated the new look. Now, the classic 80's design is linked to people who still sport a mullet hairdo, missing teeth, and coming from a narrow family tree. The new look will grow on us, especially when the team starts WINNING! That's the real reason we like football, right?

So, buy a new jersey, grab a beer, and watch this team evolve. I'm excited to be a Dolphins fan right now. Haven't been this excited in a long time.

GO PHINS!